Chiropractic For Allergies – Does It Work?

Our spring e-newsletter just hit inboxes, because despite recent snowstorms, winter is technically over. As the weather begins to warm in the coming weeks, flowers will bud, leaves will grow, days will become longer, and for many, allergy season will be in full effect. Runny noses, itchy eyes, sneezing and wheezing – these are all symptoms of hay fever, an allergy that creates hypersensitivity to pollen and other environmental substances. So, does chiropractic care for allergies work? You might be surprised.

Causes of Allergic Reactions

Our bodies are designed to recognize and protect against harmful substances. Our immune system uses a few methods to expel these substances – coughing, sneezing, vomiting. When you have an allergic response, however, your immune system is fighting against something that isn’t actually a danger. The allergic reaction is really your body’s misinterpretation of the foreign substance, and not necessarily the substance itself.

With something like hay fever, specific immune cells in the body release histamines, which cause the body to try to expel foreign substances with all of that coughing and sneezing.

So why are some people prone to hay fever, while others are not? There are many theories, with one that links general hypersensitivity to the same physical trait, and another that posits allergies are an interpretation of your surrounding environment.

Does Chiropractic Care Help?

There is research to suggest that chiropractic care can help reduce allergies for some people, though not all. That’s likely because a given patient’s hypersensitivity is unique, and a subluxation is just of the potential causes. When the spine isn’t properly aligned, it can cause a localized irritation that affects the signals received by the nervous system. As these aberrant signals travel on the same path that inputs normal environmental messages, the body can react with an allergic response.

Drs. McSweeney and Allen here in Reno have personally seen great success in treating patients suffering from springtime allergies. If you’re interested in seeing whether chiropractic care can help with your allergies, schedule a consultation today.